During the COVID-19 pandemic, professional drivers have found themselves more isolated that usual as companies limited in-person interaction to prevent the virus from spreading.

Electronic logging devices are now a mission-critical component of regulatory compliance in trucking, but anything from hardware failure to a lack of cellular connectivity can create disruptions.

Reverse logistics is part of retailers’ year-round operations, but returns ramp up during the holidays.

As online shopping continues to increase, so, too, are product returns. To help meet this rising demand for reverse logistics, transportation providers are adding services to simplify product returns for shippers and consumers while also increasing efficiency.

The use of onboard video technology is increasing in the trucking industry, but many fleets remain reluctant to add driver-facing cameras due to concerns over privacy and driver recruitment and retention.

The video and data captured by onboard cameras are enabling fleets to identify operational goals and measure progress.

The use of onboard video systems in the trucking industry has expanded considerably in the past five years, with fleets installing cameras on their vehicles to reduce liability, exonerate drivers, cut insurance costs and enable customized driver coaching.

Snow and ice, as well as the chemicals used to keep highways clear, can bring additional challenges to fleets during winter months.

As temperatures drop, drivers and technicians have to take extra precautions to ensure equipment operates properly and everyone remains safe.

Manufacturing first embraced Lean and Six Sigma techniques — tools and strategies to improve business processes — in the 1980s, and the concepts are gaining ground in truck maintenance shops. Those in the trucking industry who have applied Lean or Six Sigma processes said they can cut waste and increase their shops’ efficiency.